Locking device for bar knobs



April 7- M. 1-. WILDE 2,418,147

LOCKING DEVICE FOR BAR KNOBS Filed Oct. 26, 1945 POTENTIOMETER F I 4 OR OTHER DEVICE TO BE OPERATED INVENTOR MYRON T WILDE v BY Q h u ATTOR N EY Patented Apr. 1, 1947 U'ETD STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Mia tens le Per 3 ie NQ Myron T. Wilde, Wayland Iifich. Application October 26, 1945, Serial No. 524,525

(Qranted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

1 Glaim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofa ny royalty thereon.

Th invention to be hereinafter described relates to holding devices for bar knobs.

There are in widespread use a multitude of instruments, machines and equipment of almost every conceivable type in which knobs are used to turn a rod or bar, or to move some part relatively to some other part. In the majority of such cases the knob turns or moves in very close proximity to a panel, wall or like surface. Whereever the rod or moving part is subject to vibration, jar or shock there is great difficulty in holding it at any predetermined adjusted position. The vibration, etc., soon move it from the set position, with the result that it must be reset.

The main object of the present invention is to avoid the above and other objections and provide a simple, compact, efiicient and automatically operating holding or anchoring device of the character described, capable of low-cost quantity production and which may be easily applied to such knobs with least practicable alteration or modification of the respective knob.

In order tomore clearly disclose the construction, operation and use of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of the present application. Throughout the several figures of the drawings like reference characters designate the same parts in the different views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the device, enlarged, applied and in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a like view, in operative position;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2, with a fragment of a panel in cross section; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the angle plates and link removed from the knob.

Where the knob is on a rod or shaft, as is frequently the case, it may be secured at any desired position therealong by a set screw, as usual.

In the drawings, the invention has been illustrated as applied to a well known and widely used type of knob in which an index arrow construction extends diametrically across the knob with the pointer end projecting beyond the circum- Terence at one side while the bait end, in the form of a rectangular block I, extend-s appreciably beyond the circumference at the opposite side. With this type of knob, the invention is applied directly to the block l. Preferably, in this form, two small sheet metal angle plates. llli} amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 G. 757).

are used each having approximately rectangular leaves and a, the horizontal leaf rearrange rubber or other grommefl butt onor iriction brake shoe, gripping: or holding buttori or" devic'll, while the other orvertical member carriesas'hortspii'r, or prong 5, extending at right angles thereto and either stamped or punched therefrom or secured thereto, as may be desired. A rectangular frame or yoke B provides fulcrum points for the angle plates. The yoke is sufiiciently wide to permit the free insertion of the angle plates therethrough to the point where the respective cross bar l of the yoke will seat in theangle at the juncture of leaves 2 and 3. In assembled relation, yoke 6 extends across the under side of the block end i and slightly upwardly toward the adjacent side of the block end, the projecting cross bars l providing fulcrums or pivot areas or points for th angle plates.

In the construction illustrated, the block I is bored through laterally as at 8 to receive an actuating spring 9 which, preferably, is a simple coiled spring. It is of such length as, normally, to ex.- tend appreciably beyond I at both sides and against the adjacent vertical leaves 3 with suffrcient force to actuate the horizontal leaves to holding position and to yieldingly maintain them there. The spur 5 in each leaf 3 centers the spring end and maintains it in operative position. When the leaves 3 are pinched together or toward block l prongs 3 simply follow the coil spring 9 into the ends of base 8. V

This construction and arrangement results in a holding device almost entirely automatic in its operation. Normally the device is active and.

in operative or holding position. If the knob is to be rotated to a new position it is only necessary to grasp block I in the usual way. In doing so, vertical leaves 3 will be grasped and swung against the adjacent block walls. This rocks plates Hill about fulcrums 1, raising the grommets or brake shoes 4 clear of the panel surface and freeing the knob and attached bar to rotation. When rotated to the desired point, release of the knob, in the usual manner, frees the plates lBii to the action of the compressed spring t which immediately rocks the plates to frictional engaging position again with the grommets or rubber buttons 4 engaging the panel or other surface.

It will be seen that there is a scissors-like action in the use of the invention. The two vertical leaves are pinched together about their fulcrum l, releasing the brake shoes. When applying the brake shoes the same leaves are swung oppositely by pressure of the coil spring 9.

The whole device is very simply, quickly, and cheaply made in quantity.

In applying the invention the knob is first positioned on its shaft or rod at such distance from the panel as to insure ample compression of spring 9 and corresponding frictional engagement of the grommets 4 when the device is operative. It is then secured in that position by the usual set screw or the like.

Obviously many modifications and variations 7 of the same idea may readily be made.

The field of use is practically unlimited.

It is thought that the construction, operation and use of the invention will be clear from the preceding detailed description.

Many changes may be made in the consruction, arrangement and disposition of the various parts of the invention Within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the field of the invention and it is meant to include all such within this application wherein only one preferred construction has been illustrated purely by way of example and with no thought of, in any degree, limiting the invention thereby.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a movable knob passing through an adjacent panel, a knob holding device comprising a pair of angle plates and a connecting link carried by said knob, said plates being fulcrumed in said link and carrying terminal friction elements, a single, helical, compressed spring carried by and passing through said knob with its ends receiving terminal portions of said plates and at all times urging said plates to braking position, with the friction elements in contact with the mentioned panel.

' MYRON 'I. WILDE.

V REFERENCES-CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,170,216 Blanch Feb. 1, 1916 

